Striving for Peace Book 1: Dangerous Paths
by MiraClarinet
Summary: Tawnypaw was a normal apprentice in every way, sisters with the leader's apprentice and best friends with the leader's niece. But now, her destiny is proving harder then she once expected, and Tawnypaw is struggling to be normal. T for room.
1. Allegiances

**ThunderClan Allegiances:**

**Leader: HOLLYSTAR- **black she-cat

**Apprentice, Skypaw**

**Deputy: MOUSEWHISKER- **gray-and-white tom

**Medicine Cat: LEAFPOOL-**small light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

**Apprentice, JAYFEATHER- **gray tabby tom

**Warriors: LIONBLAZE-**golden tabby tom

**BERRYNOSE-**cream-colored tom

**FOXCATCHER-**reddish tabby tom

**POPPYFROST-**tortoiseshell she-cat

**Apprentice, Gingerpaw**

**HONEYFERN-**light brown tabby she-cat

**BUMBLETAIL-**very pale gray tom with black stripes

**BLOSSOMHEART-**pale brown she-cat with a dark stripe along her spine

**Apprentice, Tawnypaw**

**ROSETHORN-**dark cream she-cat

**TOADHEART-**black-and-white tom

**Apprentice, Mousepaw**

**HAZELTAIL-**small gray-and-white she-cat

**BRIARPELT-**dark brown she-cat

**BIRCHFALL-**light brown tabby tom

**FIREFANG-**golden tom with green eyes

**Apprentices: MOUSEPAW- **long-furred gray tom

**TAWNYPAW- **small dappled she-cat

**GINGERPAW- **ginger she-cat with a white paw

**SKYPAW- **white she-cat with ginger patches

**Queens: ICESTORM- **white she-cat, mother of Lionblaze's kits

**WHITEWING-**white she-cat with green eyes, mother of Birchfall's kits

**Kits: LILYKIT- **white she-cat with ginger patches and blue eyes

**HEATHERKIT- **ginger she-cat with white paws

**BRAMBLEKIT- **white-and-brown patched she-cat

**DEWKIT- **smallwhite she-cat with brown paws

**Elders: SANDSTORM-**pale ginger she-cat

**SQUIRRELFLIGHT-**dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

**CLOUDTAIL-**long-haired white tom

**GRAYSTRIPE-**long-haired gray tom

**MILLIE-**striped gray tabby she-cat

**FERNCLOUD-**pale gray (with darker flecks) she-cat, green eyes

**DUSTPELT-**dark brown tabby tom


	2. 1: A BitterSweet Accomplishment

**Tawnypaw's paws carried her, though she didn't know where. Everything around her was a blur of colors. Behind her, the thudding of paws and the sound of growling and snarling signaled her pursuer was still at her heels. Panicking, the small tortoiseshell made a quick turn. Instead of bushes surrounding her, everything went dark, though It still felt as if the thorns were tugging her pelt in all directions. She felt as if she were falling. Everything had gone back to silence, the snarling gone completely. Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of light. Noises returned, but it wasn't the terrifying sound of her pursuer. It was the sound of voices, gentle and friendly.**

"**I didn't think any cat could sleep this hard!" A she-cat teased. **

"**Why does she have to twitch so much? She kicked me!" The other she-cat seemed annoyed, her voice muffled as if buried in moss. More paws prodded Tawnypaw's side.**

"**Wake up you lazybones!" This was a tom's voice. Tawnypaw rose a paw to her ears, trying to block out the voices. The tom purred in amusement.**

"**Oh no! I hear them calling for us! Wake up Tawnypaw. Did you forget about training today?" Tawnypaw shot up and shook herself, giving herself a few swift licks.**

"**Yes!" She mewed. "How long did I sleep in?" She asked. Gingerpaw's tail curled in amusement. **

"**Not too long, but Blossomheart and Poppyfrost are waiting for us." She replied.**

"**Hollystar too. We are joining you today." Skypaw mewed. She had lifted her head from buried in the moss.**

"**Sorry 'bout kicking you." Tawnypaw apologized. Skypaw shrugged. **

"**What are we waiting for?" Gingerpaw moaned. Tawnypaw's chest seemed about to burst with excitement. It was always this way when she went training with Skypaw. Apprentices were lucky to train with their leader. Skypaw was especially lucky, being Hollystar's apprentice. Tawnypaw gave her sister a quick lick. Skypaw returned the gesture. **

"**Gingerpaw is right. Lets hurry!" The ginger and white she-cat mewed, bounding out with a flick of her tail. Tawnypaw and Gingerpaw followed. **

"**Have fun. I'll be cleaning the elder's den." Mousepaw mewed sarcastically. Gingerpaw shot him a sympathetic glance. **

"**I wish Mousepaw could come." She mewed as they met their mentors at the camp entrance.**

"**What can we do?" Tawnypaw shrugged. Gingerpaw sighed. Mousepaw wasn't **_**really her brother, but they were close. As a newborn, Mousepaw had been abandoned near the border. Lionblaze, Gingerpaw's father, found him, not more then a day after Gingerpaw was born. With permission from Hollystar, he and his mate Icestorm had taken him in, raised him as their son. Gingerpaw hadn't found out until they were four moons old, but still loved the gray tom like a brother. **_

"_**Lead the way, Hollystar." Blossomheart mewed. Hollystar nodded and slipped out the camp entrance. The young warriors and their apprentices followed. **_

"_**Alright, lets practice over here Tawnypaw. I want to work on that move you learned two sunrises ago." Blossomheart mewed. Tawnypaw nodded.**_

"_**Let's see how your moves are coming along. I want Skypaw on offense and Gingerpaw on defense." Hollystar instructed. Tawnypaw and Blossomheart moved to the far side of the hollow.**_

"_**I want you to try to attack me using the leap-and-hold technique." Blossomheart mewed. Tawnypaw crouched down, sizing her opponent up. She waited a long time, even Skypaw and Gingerpaw had finished their practice bout. Blossomheart's tail twitched in annoyance, as if she wanted Tawnypaw to attack. The dappled apprentice shot a secret glance at Hollystar. The others had paused to watch. Hollystar's eyes glittered knowingly. As Blossomheart began to stand up, Tawnypaw leaped, catching Blossomheart off guard, and was quickly able t pin her down. Surprised, Blossomheart pushed Tawnypaw off, but Tawnypaw wanted to show what she could really do. She shot forward and landed a hard blow on her mentor's head. She slid underneath as Blossomheart twisted and leaped up to try and pin her down. Tawnypaw used her nose to unbalance the brown she-cat. Blossomheart fell to the ground, but quickly got up, charging at her apprentice. Tawnypaw thought quick. **_

"_**Twist, then kick backward." A voice mewed. The others obviously hadn't heard it, let alone said it. The voice was unfamiliar, but Tawnypaw obeyed. She twisted, taking her back paws off the ground, and did a full turn, kicking out to meet her mentor's chest. Blossomheart let out a mew of surprise as she fell backward. **_

"_**This bout isn't over yet! This is the most fun I have had in moons!" She meowed, standing up and shaking herself. Hollystar purred in amusement. **_

"_**Leap at her. If she jumps, twist and push off with your back legs. Hit her in the side." The voice again. It hadn't failed the first time, so Tawnypaw listened again. She leaped up, and sure enough, Blossomheart jumped up. Tawnypaw twisted and kicked off with her back legs, butting her head into Blossomheart's side. Blossomheart leaped up, changing into offense. "Leap up and twist so you land on her shoulders." Tawnypaw obeyed again, making a massive jump into the air, and twisted so she was at the same angle as her mentor. She landed hard on Blossomheart's shoulder. "Now, bite her hard." This time, Tawnypaw ignored the voice. It was only a training bout! Why should she bite her mentor? Maybe a nip on the tail, but not hard enough to draw blood. The voice seemed to switch into a growl, but quickly disappeared. **_

"_**Where did you learnt hat last move?" Blossomheart asked.**_

"_**I-I don't know." Tawnypaw meowed. Half truthful. She wasn't sure who had told her to do it, but she knew she had been told. **_

"_**That was an advanced move. I didn't learn it until I was almost a warrior. Different story for Lionblaze though…" Hollystar broke off, lost in thought. **_

"_**And you did it well too." Blossomheart mewed, surprised. Tawnypaw felt her face get hot with embarrassment. Skypaw shot her "why must you show off?" glare, and Gingerpaw shifted her paws. Tawnypaw knew Gingerpaw was the best fighter in the apprentices' den, and had been ahead in her training. But now, Tawnypaw had surpassed her, and without instruction. Tawnypaw felt bad for taking her friend's special talent away, but she felt a tinge of pride at her own accomplishment. **_


	3. 2: Hearing Voices

Tawnypaw followed behind her sister, her tail drooping.

"To tell you the truth, I would still be mad too." Skypaw mewed. It had been half a moon since Tawnypaw had used an advanced move on her mentor, the move being taught to her by an unknown voice. Gingerpaw, who had been the best fighter before, was pushed below her friend, and was now mad about it.

"It isn't like I meant to use an advanced move. I didn't even know it was one!" Tawnypaw pleaded.

"Will you two be quiet? You are going to scare all the prey from here to the lake!" Blossomheart growled.

"Sorry Blossomheart." The sisters mewed together. Hollystar purred in amusement. Every cat in the Clan knew Hollystar loved the young cats, especially the kits. She had a litter of kits of her own, but all but one had died before becoming warriors. Lilyleaf was the only one left, but she had joined RiverClan when her brother had died in battle with ShadowClan. That was when Hollystar became leader. Firestar had died, giving his place to Bramblestar. Bramblestar called Hollystar as deputy. However, Bramblestar lost his lives quickly, and it was soon Hollystar's turn to be leader.

"Do you smell anything, Tawnypaw?" Hollystar asked. Tawnypaw paused to scent the air. She caught mouse and vole, but something else lingered o the breeze, a scent she didn't recognize.

"I smell mouse and vole, but something else too. I don't know what it is." She mewed. Hollystar and Blossomheart scented the air as well.

"I don't smell anything else." Hollystar meowed.

"But it is so strong!" Tawnypaw insisted. How could they not scent it? It was overpowering now, overwhelming her and threatening to knock her of her feet. Next to Hollystar, a mist formed, turning into the shape of a gray and white cat. His eyes were fearful, yet they locked on Tawnypaw. He brushed up against Hollystar as more cats appeared, different sizes and shapes.

"It feels like something is all around us, but the path is empty." Skypaw mewled, her eyes wide. Hollystar shifted uncomfortably, and the cat stopped.

"_The sky is built from thunder. Without thunder, the sky will die." _It seemed as if all the cats wee speaking at once, yet only the gray cat's mouth moved. "_Only thunder, with the help of tiger, can save sky, and then will tiger, sky and thunder be accepted back into the ranks of StarClan." With that all the cats disappeared, all except the gray and white tom._

"_Are you alright?" Skypaw asked, nudging Tawnypaw gently. Her voice shook, but seemed to be calming down as the feeling of the cats they could not see left her._

"_Y-yeah." Tawnypaw meowed._

"_I don't know what that was all about. I still don't smell anything, but it sure did feel as if a cat was rubbing against me just now." Hollystar meowed. "We had better get back to camp. The prey we have gathered already should be enough." She added._

_Tawnypaw carried her two voles proudly, one of which she had caught on the way back to camp. _

"_Why don't you take those to the queens and kits?" Blossomheart mewed. Tawnypaw nodded and bounded toward the nursery._

"_Can we go outside?" Dewkit whined._

"_Not until I finish cleaning you." Whitewing purred. Bramblekit waited patiently nearby, her tiny tail twitching. _

"_What about us?" Lilykit asked. _

"_Same with you. You are all filthy!" Icestorm mewed._

"_Tawnypaw!" Heatherkit leaped up in excitement. Tawnypaw purred in amusement. Heatherkit and her sister Lilykit were the youngest in the nursery, though they had recently turned four moons. Dewkit and Bramblekit were oldest at more then five moons. _

"_Is that for us?" Icestorm asked, trying with mild difficulty to hold Lilykit down while she cleaned her. _

"_Yeah. Just caught them." Tawnypaw meowed, setting a vole in front of each queen._

"_I want some!" Dewkit mewed, scrabbling away from her mother._

"_I guess your done, Dewkit. Why don't you all get a mouse or two for yourselves?" Whitewing sighed, though her eyes betrayed her amusement. _

"_Alright! Come on, Bramblekit!" She bounced up and bounded out of the nursery. Bramblekit followed more slowly._

"_Us too?" Heatherkit asked. Icestorm nodded, and the two younger kits pelted out after their denmates. _

"_Thanks for the freshkill." Icestorm meowed, taking a few famished bites of the vole._

"_No problem." Tawnypaw mewed as she slipped out after the kits. _

"_I'm not very hungry. You want to play fight Bramblekit?" Dewkit mewed. Bramblekit shook her head._

"_I was going to visit Jayfeather and Leafpool." She replied. Dewkit flattened her ears in disappointment._

"_Why do you want to go there?" She asked. "You aren't hurt." She added after checking her sister over._

"_Just to visit. I love the smell of all the herbs." She began to pad to the medicine den, where Leafpool was emerging. She was beginning to show her age. _

"_Good morning, Leafpool!" Hollystar called. _

"_Good morning." Leafpool rasped. "May I speak to you." Hollystar gave a nod and they moved to a new spot, away from prying ears. _

"_Well, just Jayfeather then." Bramblekit mewed. With that, she bounded into the medicine den. Tawnypaw continued to watch her leader and the elderly medicine cat. Something flashed in Hollystar's eyes as she spoke, a bit of regret and memory. Leafpool nodded her head, and Hollystar leaped to the top of the Highledge. _

"_Let all cats old enough to hunt for themselves gather here beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" She called. Dewkit perked up near Tawnypaw. _

"_Can we go to the meeting?" She asked, bouncing around her mother in excitement._

"_Not this time. You can listen from over here." Whitewing meowed. Dewkit looked a bit downcast, but began to get excited again when Bramblekit pranced over to join them. Tawnypaw flicked her tail and left them to join Mousepaw and Skypaw, who greeted her joyfully. Gingerpaw came, but instead of taking her spot next to Tawnypaw, she sat down next to Mousepaw. _

"_Leafpool, is it your wish to give up the name of a medicine cat and go to join the elders?" Hollystar's question was followed by mews of surprise from the Clan. It was rare for medicine cats to become elders. _

"_It is." Leafpool replied, her eyes full of the grief of ending her role as a medicine cat._

"_Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given us. I call upon StarClan to give you many seasons of rest." Tawnypaw shook her head in disbelief. Leafpool had been medicine cat since she was a kit, since her mother was a kit, and moons before. Now, Jayfeather was a full medicine cat. Tawnypaw flicked her gaze to the gray tom. His sightless blue eyes watched on. As was common for Jayfeather, they showed no emotion. Squirrelflight, Leafpool's sister, gave her a swift, caring lick. _

"_It has been a while since we shared the same den." Squirrelflight purred. Leafpool nodded and followed her to the elders' den. Tawnypaw decided to play with the kits. It would get her mind off Leafpool's decision._

"_I never expected Leafpool to join the elders!" Dewkit mewed._

"_I knew she would. She said she was planning on it last time I visited them. She said Jayfeather is ready for an apprentice, but as long as she was around, he couldn't get one." Bramblekit explained. Tawnypaw noted how logical her reasoning was, but she noticed something hidden in Bramblekit's mew, something she knew Dewkit would be upset about. Dewkit shrugged at her sister's words, but mounted a surprise attack on Lilykit. Tawnypaw pulled Bramblekit aside while her sister was distracted._

"_Are you going to be Jayfeather's apprentice?" She asked. Bramblekit shuffled her paws shyly._

"_Yeah. You won't tell Dewkit, will you? She will be devastated!" Bramblekit mewed._

"_She will be even more devastated if you don't tell her, and mad at you that you didn't, but I guess that is your decision. Nonetheless, I won't tell Dewkit." Tawnypaw warned. Bramblekit nodded uncertainly. _


	4. 3: New Apprentices

Tawnypaw sank into the soft, white snow, and had to stretch her claws to avoid slipping on the occasionally patch of ice.

"I hate this weather!" Skypaw groaned. "It feels like we are trekking to the mountains, when all we are doing is bringing freshkill to the nursery!" The snow had fallen during the night, causing all sorts of trouble in the ThunderClan camp. The kits, however, seemed to be enjoying it.

"Race you through the fluffy stuff!" Lilykit meowed. Bramblekit sat down, jumping up again immediately.

"It is cold, and wet!" She pointed out, licking her tail in annoyance. Dewkit glared at her from the nursery entrance, obviously upset at her. Bramblekit had told her sister earlier that morning that when they became apprentices today, she would be becoming Jayfeather's apprentice. As Bramblekit had expected, Dewkit was upset. She had wanted so bad to train with her sister.

"Can't you understand what this means to me?" Bramblekit had pleaded. Dewkit still refused.

"Can't you see how much training with you meant to me?" She had countered. Now, Dewkit wouldn't speak to Bramblekit, and the tiny white kit seemed extremely sad about it.

"I knew she would be this upset, but I am glad I told her. It is a huge weight off my back. I just hope she cools down." Bramblekit meowed, shuffling her paws as Tawnypaw approached. Tawnypaw licked her comfortingly.

"Even if you became a warrior apprentice, you wouldn't always be training with Dewkit. Skypaw and I rarely get to train together. Usually, I am training with Mousepaw or Gingerpaw. Besides, medicine cats have to know how to hunt and fight too, they just don't have to use it much. You will have to be able to defend yourself, and feed yourself if need be." Tawnypaw pointed out.

"I wanted to a be a medicine cat when I was first made an apprentice, though I wanted to for the wrong reasons. When Jayfeather traded spots with me, Lionblaze and I were both upset that we wouldn't be able to train with him. For the first few days, it was lonely without him, but it soon got better, and we are still as close as we have ever been." Hollystar noted, where her and Whitewing were discussing the apprentice ceremony to be held for Dewkit and Bramblekit that day.

"Really? Hear that Dewkit?" Bramblekit mewed excitedly. Dewkit snorted and looked away.

"Come here, Dewkit. You want to look good for your ceremony don't you?" Whitewing meowed. Dewkit's ears flattened.

"What about Bramblekit?" She asked.

"Bramblekit isn't a mess. Unlike you, she has kept clean and out of the snow. I will still give her a quick wash though." Whitewing mewed. Dewkit snorted, but allowed herself to be cleaned.

"You need help? I can give Bramblekit a quick wash if you like." Tawnypaw commented. Whitewing nodded gratefully.

"Thank you." She mewed. Tawnypaw sat down with Bramblekit, giving her gentle rasps across her pelt.

"You clean me better then mother!" Bramblekit teased, her tail flicking. Whitewing growled playfully as she cleaned Dewkit. Tawnypaw purred in amusement.

"You will make a great mother if you want to be." Icestorm commented, looking over the apprentice's job.

"Thank you." Tawnypaw mewed respectfully.

"Have you ever thought about having kits?" Whitewing asked. Tawnypaw shrugged.

"A bit, but I don't think I want to plan so far ahead. I'd rather focus on my training now, and taking on a mate later." She replied. Whitewing purred.

"A good plan." She meowed.

"Let all cats old enough to hunt for themselves gather there beneath the Highledge for a Clan meeting!" Hollystar called. Dewkit mewed in excitement.

"What are we waiting for? Come on, Bramblekit!" She mewled.

"Try to be dignified!" Whitewing pleaded. Dewkit slowed her pace, but still managed to show her excitement. Her father joined her, giving her a quick cuff on the ear. Bramblekit trotted forward to join them. Tawnypaw joined the other apprentices at the front of the Clan. She remembered the first day she had been an apprentice. She had barely been able to contain her excitement as well. Skypaw had done a bit better, though not by much. Bramblekit held her tail and head high.

"I ask upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these kits, they wish to become warriors, but must first become apprentices. Dewkit, from this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Dewpaw. Briarpelt, you are now ready for an apprentice. You will mentor Dewpaw. Bramblekit, from this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Bramblepaw. Jayfeather, you are ready for an apprentice. You will mentor Bramblepaw." The new mentors touched noses with their apprentices, and Tawnypaw and Skypaw began the chanting of their names. As expected, Dewpaw was quick to ask Briarpelt when they would go into the forest. Bramblepaw looked at her mentor calmly as he was congratulated by his own mentor, Leafpool, the newest elder.

"And congratulations to you too, Bramblepaw. You couldn't have a better mentor." She added to the apprentice. Bramblepaw bowed respectfully.

"Oh, I know Leafpool." She purred. Leafpool purred in amusement.

"Good luck, Jayfeather." She mewed, licking the young tom on the ear. He nodded.

"Tomorrow, we will start learning important herbs. However, today would be a good day to show you the best places for gathering herbs." Jayfeather meowed.

"In the forest?" Bramblepaw asked. Jayfeather nodded, and they slipped out the thorn barrier that made up the camp entrance. Tawnypaw made her way to the warriors' den, where Briarpelt was gathering a small patrol to mark borders while showing Dewpaw the forest.

"You have, Bumbletail? I was hoping to have my brother with me." She meowed in disappointment.

"Sorry, Briarpelt. I'm just too tired, and I promised Rosethorn I would go hunting with her later." He mewed gently, licking her ear affectionately. Blossomheart appeared at the entrance to the den.

"I can go. You want to come too, Tawnypaw?" She meowed. Tawnypaw nodded her head excitedly. She followed her mentor and Briarpelt out, the new apprentice trotting along at her side.


	5. 4: Walls Enclosing

_**Oh, didn't know about the Hollyleaf thing! Not Hollyleaf! She was my fav3So, doesn't matter. I like her, so she is staying. I always thought it would be Lionblaze. Oh well. Anyway, back to the story! Oh wow, shortest chapter so far0.0**_

_**Oh right, another thing. Disclaimer: I do not own warriors, or the characters. This is, as you have noticed, not completely accurate, because I have only gotten to Long Shadows. So, most things after that didn't happen. Sorry peeps!**_

"Let's head to the ShadowClan border." Briarpelt mewed. Tawnypaw was reluctant to leave the lake, reflecting the beautiful sunset, but Dewpaw had other ideas. The snow had melted, so the lake was abnormally high, but even the stream between WindClan was still at a comfortable height.

"Race you!" She mewed, flattening herself against the ground.

"How about you don't. You don't know the forest on this side, and might accidentally wander into ShadowClan territory. Best you stick with us for now." Briarpelt warned. Dewpaw's tail drooped, but she obeyed. Getting in trouble the first day as an apprentice wouldn't be good.

"Something seems strange." Blossomheart growled lowly, her jaws parted to scent the air. As they neared the border, Tawnypaw noticed it too.

"They have changed the border! Briarpelt hissed, her tail fluffing up in anger. Blossomheart looked furious.

"Where is the real border?" Dewpaw asked, sniffing the recent scent marks.

"Way up the hill, at the peak." Briarpelt growled.

"That is one of the best places to hunt!" Blossomheart added. Tawnypaw looked toward the lake. No sign of ShadowClan, turning the other direction, she found what she was after. The ShadowClan patrol that was making the scent markers.

"Look!" She mewed. Blossomheart growled as she noticed the patrol.

"Dewpaw, go back to camp and tell Hollystar ShadowClan has changed the border. Get her to send back up, just in case. I want you to lead her here, but stay hidden." Briarpelt ordered.

"But I want to fight!" Dewpaw pleaded, kneading the ground wit her claws.

"Not until you learn some fighting moves. Now go!" Briarpelt growled, nudging her apprentice off. Reluctantly, Dewpaw pelted off. Blossomheart led the way toward the ShadowClan cats. The paused when they saw the ThunderClan cats coming.

"Like the new border?" A young gray apprentice sneered. Tawnypaw recognized the ShadowClan deputy, Pantherpelt, in the patrol, as well as a she-cat she didn't recognize.

"This is going too far, Pantherpelt." Briarpelt growled. Pantherpelt laughed.

"ThunderClan can't beat us, and you know it." She teased. The apprentice sneered.

"Your border is at the top of the hill!" Blossomheart growled.

"Not anymore." Pantherpelt meowed, her face against Blossomheart's.

"ThunderClan! Chase them out!" The hiss erupted from behind Tawnypaw. She whirled around to see Hollystar, Lionblaze, Firefang, Poppyfrost and Gingerpaw. The patrol shot forward at their leader's order, and the remaining cats from the original border patrol clawed at the ShadowClan cats.

"You really thought we would risk it with just three of us?" Pantherpelt growled. She flicked her tail, and over the rise came a surge of cats, outnumbering the ThunderClan cats. Hollystar's eyes widened as she struggled with the two toms fighting her. Desperation flowed through her eyes as she backed away, and regret filled her voice as it rose above the yowling.

"ThunderClan, we must leave, or we will all die. Don't think you have won, Pantherpelt. We will reclaim our territory, if I lose all nine lives trying." She called. The fighting ceased as the ThunderClan cats retreated to sneers from the ShadowClan cats. The blood-covered ThunderClan warriors stood behind their leader, staring angrily at the cats who were yowling their victory.

"This isn't the end." Tawnypaw vowed under her breath. With that, she followed the rest of the group into the trees.

"What?" Mousepaw hissed, his claws kneading the ground.

"How could they just go up and steal our territory? Jayfeather says there are some important herbs that only grow there! What are we going to do if we need catmint? ShadowClan surely won't give any to us, or let us grab some." Bramblepaw meowed. Dewpaw and Tawnypaw had explained what had happened to the other apprentices. Gingerpaw hadn't joined in, and was instead staying in the medicine den thanks to a large gash on her shoulder.

"It was full of prey too. One of the best hunting spots." Tawnypaw added. Her tail lashed back and forth and her claws kneaded the ground. She could imagine the gray apprentice crying in terror beneath her paws as she clawed him, finally getting revenge for taking her territory.


	6. 5: Tawnypaw's Dream

_Tawnypaw slid through the grass, her eyes locked on the mouse. She shot forward in a massive leap, but everything beneath her was gone. She found herself falling through open air, unable to escape the swirling grasps of the darkness. _

"Only thunder, with the help of tiger, can save sky, and then will tiger, sky and thunder be accepted back into the ranks of StarClan." _The voice came out of nowhere. Finally, Tawnypaw landed softly on the ground. She stood up, looking around her. On one side was a forest; on the other, a twolegplace. Tawnypaw tilted her head in confusion._

"_Where am I?" She called to nobody in particular._

"_Home." Came the reply. Tawnypaw whirled around to see a handsome ginger tom with bright green eyes. His fur was full of stars._

"_This isn't the lake." Tawnypaw pointed out. _

"_I never said it was." The tom smiled. _

"_Why are you talking in riddles?" Tawnypaw growled._

"_Why not?" he asked, his tail disappearing into the bushes._

"_Wait up!" Tawnypaw mewled, following him briskly. "Who are you?" She asked as she caught up._

"_I know who you are." He mewed, glancing at her._

"_So do I. But that doesn't matter. I asked who _you_ are." Tawnypaw hissed._

"_How do you know who you are?" The tom asked. _

"_Do you know who you are?" _

"_Yes." _

"_How do you know who you are?" _

"_Clever. I have gone, and who I am has already happened. But who you are is still yet to come." He purred. Tawnypaw paused, her head beginning to ache._

"_You make no sense."_

"_Don't I?" He rounded a corner, making his way down a ravine. On the other side, Tawnypaw could see a barrier, though she couldn't see what was on the other side. "You do not know who you are." The tom added from the other side. With a hiss, Tawnypaw joined him. _

"_What do you mean? I know who I am! I'm Tawnypaw, Blossomheart's apprentice and a ThunderClan cat." Tawnypaw mewed proudly. The tom purred in amusement and slid through an opening in the barrier._

"_That is not who you are. That is your past, your history." He meowed as she, again, joined him._

"_Then who am I?" His games were beginning to annoy Tawnypaw._

"_You will find out." The tom disappeared, leaving Tawnypaw to gaze around the clearing. It was surrounded by the same barrier, protecting it from the outside. It had dens and in the center, a large rock jutting from the ground. To Tawnypaw, it seemed important. She decided to peer into one of the dens. She chose the smallest. However, it wasn't a nest that was inside. It was a whole forest. She stepped into the forest, the den entrance disappearing behind her. Small voices came from ahead. Tawnypaw padded slightly through the dark trees, toward the voices. As she neared, she recognized one. The handsome ginger tom who had spoken in riddles and led her to the camp. _

"_I've tried helping ThunderClan my whole life and death, and now you say I cannot!" The new voice was a large tabby tom. Tawnypaw stayed out of view._

"_You almost destroyed ThunderClan! You tried to kill your own leader, killed a deputy! You had plans to kill your apprentice." The ginger tom growled._

"_But for what? The good of my Clan!" Came the sharp reply. _

"_The good of your Clan? Bluestar was a great leader! If you had killed her, the Clan would be without her." The ginger tom hissed._

"_You don't understand, Firestar!" The tabby sank to the ground. "All my life I have been an outcast. I don't know why. When I became a warrior, cats looked up to me. It felt good to be wanted. All I wanted was to be leader, so all cats would look up to me." Tawnypaw felt affection for the tom. When she was little, she had felt as if nobody liked her. She was all alone, no siblings, no other kits. Finally, Gingerpaw was born, and for a while, they looked up to her. She remembered the feeling of finally having friends. _

"Wake up Tawnypaw!" Tawnypaw blinked open her eyes to see Mousepaw prodding her in the side. "Training." He mewed. Tawnypaw rolled onto her back with a sigh.

"Alright." She mewed.

"Wish I could go with you. I'm on elder duty." Dewpaw grumbled, raising a paw to her head.

"Elder duty is part of being an apprentice. We have to do it sometimes too." Mousepaw pointed out. Dewpaw mumbled inaudibly, but slipped out of the den with a lashing tail. "You coming or not?" He added to Tawnypaw. The dappled she-cat nodded and pulled herself to her feet. Mousepaw's tail disappeared out the den entrance. Tawnypaw followed him after a quick shake and cleaning of her fur.


	7. 6: Crowstar's Intrusion

**Just so you know, I personally loved the last chapter. I liked apprentice Firepaw, and wanted to make him fun again. I hate Firestar, but love Firepaw and Rusty. Therefore, he is out of character. I like how I made him. I laughed when I wrote it.**

"We should try and reclaim the border!" Tawnypaw spat, her tail lashing as Blossomheart finished scent marking the new border with ShadowClan.

"It is too risky right now. Cats are still recovering from the first battle." Blossomheart explained gently. "If I remember right, you have been dismissed from battle training until that gash on your flank completely heals." She added.

"It wasn't that bad! I'm telling you it opened up because I landed on a tree root." Tawnypaw grumbled. She had been injured on her flank, and the last training bout with Mousepaw had resulted in a trip to the medicine den to stop the bleeding.

"ShadowClan cats are not going to go easy on you because you are injured. If anything, they will take advantage of it." Briarpelt pointed out. Tawnypaw rolled her eyes.

"They are going to think we can't defend our borders and will try to steal more!" She growled lowly.

"We should try and get it back ourselves." Dewpaw whispered. Tawnypaw stared at her in astonishment.

"Are you completely mouse brained? They will tear us to shreds!" She hissed.

"I've had battle training!" Dewpaw pointed out.

"Yeah, like two sessions. I could barely fight off a ShadowClan warrior, and I am almost a warrior myself!" Tawnypaw meowed. Dewpaw shrugged glumly. Tawnypaw couldn't help but agree with her, however. They had to get the territory back, before they stole more.

"Let's head to the WindClan border." Briarpelt mewed. They cut through the territory by the lake, but Tawnypaw realized as they neared the WindClan border that something was wrong. An angry hiss erupted from nearby.

"Who do they think they are?" Tawnypaw recognized Mousewhisker's furious voice.

"Let's check it out." Blossomheart mewed. She led the bound up the rise to where the hunting patrol consisting of Mousewhisker, Hollystar and Skypaw were sitting with fluffed fur.

"What is going on?" Briarpelt asked. Tawnypaw didn't have to wait for an answer. The WindClan border had changed. It was almost ten foxlengths from the stream that used to mark the border.

"First ShadowClan, now WindClan!" Hollystar hissed. "What is going on here?"

"There is no reason for this at all! We have done nothing." Mousewhisker added, kneading the ground with his claws, his eyes as furious as his hiss.

"Done nothing wrong?" The tom snorted. A WindClan patrol had appeared from the small stretch of forest in the original territory.

"Why have you stolen our territory, Crowstar?" Hollystar growled. Crowstar stood face to face with the younger she-cat.

"You should know why." Crowstar growled. "That mouse brained medicine cat." He added.

"Why are you punishing us? You broke the warrior code as well." Hollystar hissed bitterly.

"But not twice over, like that scum you call cat." Crowstar hissed.

"It is still no reason to steal our territory! Last time I checked, that was against the code as well!" Hollystar growled.

"There is no place for ThunderClan here. All you do is break the code. Kittypets in the Clan, medicine cats having kits, even as far as cats killing others." Hollystar gasped, backing away. Tawnypaw watched her with curiosity. All cats knew of what Crowstar and Leafpool had done, as far as the youngest kit, but she couldn't understand what he meant by cats killing others.

"This is pointless. However, if we catch you any farther on our territory, we will fight you." Hollystar stammered. With a flick of her tail, she led her cats away. Tawnypaw followed her. How could she just let them have it just like that? They could have fought and won it back!

"Why didn't we fight?" Skypaw hissed, voicing her sister's thoughts.

"Too risky." Hollystar mumbled. Mousewhisker sighed knowingly, but said nothing.

"We can't just let them steal our territory!" Tawnypaw protested. Blossomheart flicked her tail across Tawnypaw's muzzle to silence her.

"This isn't the time for arguments." She meowed gently. Tawnypaw growled and lashed her tail. What was going on here?

"It doesn't make sense." Mousepaw hissed. "Why would Hollystar just give up?"

"Maybe because Crowstar is older then her, and her father." Bramblepaw suggested. Tawnypaw shook her head.

"That has never stopped her before. If anything, it fueled her. I remember when my eyes first opened WindClan attacked. Hollystar showed no mercy, and Crowstar and his Clan were sent scurrying away quite quickly. And then when his old apprentice, Featherheart, crossed our border when she was younger, Hollystar almost killed her to chase her off, and ripped part of Crowstar's ear off. I've never seen her more vicious with any cat." She explained, sighing thoughtfully. Bramblepaw shrugged.

"Just a suggestion." She mewed.

"Bramblepaw! Are you getting those poppies or not?" Jayfeather's hiss came from the nursery, where he had been checking on a coughing Lilykit.

"Sorry! How is Lilykit?" Bramblepaw apologized.

"Just a small cough. Nothing to worry about, though t would be a good idea to watch fr signs of whitecough." He mewed.

"What are signs of whitecough?" Bramblepaw asked.

"Running nose, coughing, watery eyes, slight fever and dizziness." Jayfeather mewed.

"What herb would we use?" Bramblepaw asked.

"Tansy." Jayfeather replied. "Now are you getting those poppies or not? We need to set them out to dry by sunhigh, or they won't get dry until tomorrow night." He added. Bramblepaw nodded and pelted out the entrance.

Tawnypaw slipped into the medicine den, Lilykit dangling from her jaws. Dewpaw was right behind, her eyes full of distress. Even tiny Lilykit was difficult for young Tawnypaw to carry. She was almost old enough to be an apprentice.

"Where do you want her?" Tawnypaw meowed through the white and ginger she-cat.

"In that nest there." Jayfeather replied. The older kit had contracted a small cough just a few days ago, when WindClan had stolen territory from ThunderClan. As they had feared, it had grown to whitecough, and Tawnypaw had been asked to take her to the medicine den while her mother was out hunting, so Lilykit's sister, Heatherkit, didn't get it as well.

"Is she going to be okay?" Dewpaw asked, shifting her paws uncomfortably. Bramblepaw licked her sister comfortingly.

"I'll be fine Dewpaw. It is just a cough." Lilykit purred weakly, her words followed by a short fit of coughing.

"Yes. Now everyone, get out. It is not a good time for cats to get sick." Jayfeather snapped. Dewpaw flattened her ears in disappointment, but Tawnypaw herded her out gently. Icestorm and Lionblaze were returning, laden with freshkill.

"Good hunting?" Hollystar called to her brother from where she and her deputy, Mousewhisker, were sharing tongues.

"A bit." Lionblaze replied. Icestorm was one of the best hunters in the Clans. Her three mice and a vole were understandable. They set their prey on the freshkill pile, Icestorm glancing at Hollystar, who was padding over. Tawnypaw was close enough to hear their conversation.

"When are Lilykit and Heatherkit going to become apprentices?" Icestorm asked. "They are getting too big for the nursery, and I worry for Honeyfern's kits. They will be born soon, and Lilykit and Heatherkit might hurt them if they are not careful."

"Soon. I was thinking tomorrow. They will be six moons then." Hollystar replied. Tawnypaw padded over to join them.

"Lilykit has whitecough. Jayfeather noticed it while her and Heatherkit were playing earlier. We just brought her to the medicine den so Heatherkit doesn't get sick. Jayfeather said it might be as much as a quarter moon before she is fit to be an apprentice." She explained. Distress filled Icestorm's eyes, and, though he didn't show it as much as his mate, Lionblaze was a bit worried as well. His tail twitched.

"Thank you, Tawnypaw. I didn't notice you taking her. Maybe Heatherkit can become an apprentice then." Hollystar mewed. None of the cats had noticed the larger kit sneak up behind Tawnypaw and Dewpaw.

"Not without Lilykit! As much as I want to be an apprentice, so does Lilykit, and it would be unfair." Heatherkit gasped. Her fur was fluffed out in shock, as if Lilykit had just died before her eyes. Hollystar sighed.

"Alright, we will wait. Is the elders' den clean?" She added to Tawnypaw and Dewpaw.

"Skypaw just finished." Tawnypaw replied, noticing her sister sitting outside the apprentices' den, eating a mouse.

"Then get yourselves some freshkill." With that, Hollystar returned to Mousewhisker, who gave a nod and gathered Bumbletail and Berrynose. They headed for the camp entrance, but the patrol grew uneasy.

"Hollystar! Something doesn't seem right." Mousewhisker called.


	8. 7: No Longer Welcome

Cats were coming out of their dens at Mousewhisker's alert. Tawnypaw began to feel uncomfortable, even more so as Hollystar perked up, fear scent drifting off her in waves.

"Heatherkit, Honeyfern and elders, up the Highledge. Now !" Heatherkit dashed off, and Honeyfern, who had been eating with Berrynose before he had joined the patrol, followed at her tail, her belly swollen with soon to come kits. Bramblepaw appeared momentarily at the medicine den entrance. "Bramblepaw, tell Jayfeather to prepare for battle." Her eyes widened and she slipped hastily back into the den. "Skypaw, where is Mousepaw?"

"Sleeping." Skypaw replied.

"Wake him, quickly. Is anyone else asleep?" Firefang, Gingerpaw's older brother, Dived into the warriors' den.

"No." He replied as he reappeared.

"good. Prepare for battle." Hollystar growled. Mews of surprise erupted from the Clan. Tawnypaw realized her cause for fear. The scent of three Clans, all mingled together, was growing stronger and stronger. They had made an alliance, and were coming to attack ThunderClan! Glancing sideways, Tawnypaw noticed Bramblepaw urging Lilykit up the Highledge. She turned to Dewpaw and Gingerpaw, who had appeared at her side.

"Good luck." She mewed to them. They nodded. Fear filled the clearing as three shapes appeared at the camp entrance. Crowstar's pelt was barely visible in the shadows, while Mistystar looked uncomfortable. Pantherpelt's eyes glowed in the pale, stormy light. The clouds ahead reminded the Clans that leafbare was upon them, though the usual snow was late.

"Attack!" All three cats yowled. Streams of cats rushed forward from the top of the camp, charging at the cats below.

"ThunderClan, defend your camp!" Hollystar ordered, throwing herself at a nearby WindClan tom. Tawnypaw recognized the pelt of Breezepelt, Crowstar's WindClan son. Tawnypaw flung herself at the same ShadowClan apprentice she had met in the battle at the ShadowClan border.

"You really think you can beat a warrior?" He growled.

"I almost am one!" She hissed in reply, pinning him down.

"Almost? Ha! I am one!" He pushed her off, but she landed on four paws, shooting forward to leap at him. He twisted out of her way.

"Twist, then hit him in the side." Tawnypaw recognized the voice that had been haunting her battle training for more then a moon. Unlike usual, it was filled with fear an desperation, though it sound like it wasn't battling. Tawnypaw realized it was the voice of the tom Firestar had been talking to in her dream. She listened, and managed to knock the new warrior to the ground.

"Need help Smokestripe?" A pretty black she-cat hissed.

"If you insist, Nightstalker." He meowed. Tawnypaw shot at Smokestripe. He leaped up, landing behind her. He shot forward to leap onto her back, but she twisted out of his way. She was countered by Nightstalker, who grabbed and yanked her tail hard with her teeth. Tawnypaw yowled and lashed out at her with her claws. She landed a blow, but so did Smokestripe, landing on her back and digging his claws in.

"Bat him in the head and turn around rapidly, kicking with your back legs." The unknown tom hissed. She did as she asked, knocking Smokestripe off while kicking Nightstalker away. She was now able to look at both cats. "Go for Smokestripe. Nightstalker will go after you. At the last minute, change direction and head for Nightstalker. Leap onto her back, and if you miss, kick back and send her flying." He instructed. She shot forward at the gray tom. As expected, Nightstalker charged to his rescue. As she was about to hit the tom, she twisted so she was heading for Nightstalker, then leaped. She missed, but remembered the vice's backup plan. She kicked out as she landed, sending Nightstalker flying into a RiverClan she-cat.

"Have fun, Smokestripe." Nightstalker spat, pelting out of the camp, closely followed by the RiverClan cat.

"Still think I can't beat you?" Tawnypaw growled. With a hiss, Smokestripe leapt at her. She slid underneath him, using her nose to unbalance him, then twisted to pin him down. He flung her off, but followed Nightstalker hastily. Tawnypaw turned her attention to a young WindClan cat, who was scaling the Highledge. Two other enemy cats were already up, battling with Squirrelflight and Leafpool. Tawnypaw landed squarely on the she-cat's shoulder.

"Grab her ear. She is still an apprentice, and will be defeated easily." The voice growled. Tawnypaw grabbed the calico's black ear. She yowled, even more so as Tawnypaw batted at her back with sharp claws.

"Mallowpaw!" A WindClan tom who had been battling Squirrelflight turned is attention to his Clanmate. He dashed away from the younger elder, and knocked Tawnypaw off the apprentice. "You won't harm my daughter!" He growled as she dashed off. Tawnypaw leapt up to pin him down, but he dodged quickly. She landed and as fast as she could leapt up again, twisting in the air to land squarely on his shoulders. He fell at her weight, but went limp. Tawnypaw grabbed the scruff of his neck and shook hard. He tried to fling her off, but she was barely removed, taking a chunk of his flesh of with her. He yowled in pain, but pinned her down, growling and spattering her with blood.

"Bat at him with your back paws, as if you are tiring. Then, when he tries to go for a kill, push him off with your back paws." The voice ordered. Tawnypaw listened, batting her paws as if getting tired. It barely used any energy, so when he leaned down to bite her throat, she kicked off and he was sent flying. He landed with a painful thud, barely managing to stand and limp fast enough to leave. Squirrelflight and Leafpool sent the other tom cascading down the rock fall. Tawnypaw gave him a quick nip on the tail as he was sent yowling out of the camp. Tawnypaw had the chance to look around the clearing. Many of the ThunderClan cats were fighting one on three, some more and distressingly few less then three. Hollystar was backed against the wall, panting and threatened by the three cats that had given the orders.

"Look around you, Hollystar. Your Clan is losing. You have no choice." Crowstar growled, his eyes glowing with revenge.

"Crowstar! Leave her alone!" Leafpool hissed appearing at Tawnypaw's side.

"Take care of this one, Pantherstar." Crowstar turned on the light tabby, whose eyes grew wide with fear at the anger, hate and hurt mixed in Crowstar's eyes. He flung himself at her. Tawnypaw acted quickly, pulling him off her. He growled, lashing at her. She rolled away from his claws, landing behind him and pulling his leg out from under him with a sharp bite. He rolled dangerously down the remaining part of the rock fall, flying off a large boulder and landing with a hard thud on the ground, his body going limp. Tawnypaw turned to Leafpool. Squirrelflight was at her side, sadness in her eyes.

"She is dying." The dark ginger she-cat looked at Tawnypaw with grief.

"We have to get Jayfeather!" Tawnypaw mewed hastily, ready to bound off to get him. The dying she-cat weakly shook her head.

"This is…StarClan's revenge…for what I have done. I…I thought it was Jay…feather's blindness…but I was wrong. I…deserve to die." With that, Leafpool heaved her last breath. Squirrelflight let out a low, distressed yowl, pressing her nose into her sister's fur. Hollystar noticed the scene, looking from her father to her mother. Crowstar was weakly getting up, having lost a life. Her eyes were filled with pain as she charged past Tawnypaw, Squirrelflight and Leafpool's body.

"We have no choice. We must…surrender." She called. The fighting stopped as the ThunderClan cats stared at their leader. Tawnypaw struggled to stay on the rocks. Yowls of victory rang from the other Clans as they allowed the brokenhearted, injured ThunderClan cats pass.

"ThunderClan is no longer welcome here! We have won!" Pantherstar called.

"When did she become leader?" Dewpaw asked, limping and wincing at each step. Her head and tail were lowered. All Tawnypaw managed was a shake of her head.

"Where are we heading Hollystar?" Honeyfern called to the front, where Hollystar was trudging through the undergrowth. The black leader stopped them and turned to her Clan.

"We have lost a lot just today. Nobody expected all three Clans to attack, not all at once. We had no other choice. It was either retreat, or we would all be killed. I'm very proud of you all, and I am proud to be your leader. However, it has become clear to me. StarClan have abandoned ThunderClan, and ThunderClan is no longer meant to be." Her words were answered with yowls of protest.

"You have to stop this!" For the first time, the voice had a body. The dead warrior had retreated as well!

"But how?" Tawnypaw asked. But the tabby tom nudged her forward. Reluctantly, Tawnypaw bounded up to meet her leader. Fear filled her from nose to tail tip. What would they do to her for contradicting her leader?

"StarClan is still here, Tawnypaw. We will always be here for you." Firestar had appeared in the throng of ThunderClan cats, beside the elder Sandstorm. Tawnypaw blinked.

"ThunderClan has to stay together." She mewed, so the whole Clan could hear above the protests. "StarClan is here by our sides, as we speak. Can't you feel their love? They are ThunderClan cats too. They would never leave us. None of us want ThunderClan to stop being a Clan. Not even StarClan." She meowed. The Clan remained quiet. Hollystar shook her head.

"This is all my fault. I have failed you all. I'm sorry, but I cannot be your leader anymore." Hollystar shot off before an cat could stop her. Nobody moved. Their eyes were wide an mouths open in surprise and fear. Their eyes held desperation, unknowing, hopelessness.

"You have to lead them, Tawnypaw. You are the only one left here with the faith needed." The tom meowed. Firestar glared at him from where he sat, the starry warrior smoothing his still living mate's fur gently. Sandstorm had her head bowed, her eyes closed.

"But I'm only an apprentice." She whispered back, bowing her head.

"Tawnypaw, you are right. But where will we go?" Mousewhisker was the first to speak. Tawnypaw knew he would rather not be deputy. He had always felt awkward organizing patrols. Tawnypaw thought hard, her mind returning to her dream, where she had first met Firestar.

"_Where am I?" She called to nobody in particular._

"_Home." Came the reply. Tawnypaw whirled around to see a handsome ginger tom with bright green eyes. His fur was full of stars._

"_this isn't the lake." Tawnypaw pointed out. _

"_I never said it was." The tom smiled. _

For the first time, she understood. "Home" wasn't the lake territory. It was the place he had shown her, the camp she had been led to. Firestar's eyes glinted as he disappeared.

"But how do we get there?" She asked herself.

"Get where?" Mousewhisker asked.

"I don't know." Tawnypaw mewed, lost in thought.

"Think of Sandstorm's stories." The dead warrior had returned to her side, his tabby fur beginning to lay flat.

"Of the old forest?" She whispered so low, not even Mousewhisker could hear.

"Exactly." His eyes glinted in success. Tawnypaw perked up.

"The old forest!" She mewed, louder then she wanted. Gasps sounded from the older cats.

"It was destroyed!" Cloudtail hissed. Tawnypaw remembered her dream. An acrid smell had been just slightly noticeable, one she knew was a Thunderpath. They must have extended it. Sandstorm's stories had included the Thunderpath, but she had said it was too far to even notice for most of the territory.

"No, it wasn't. Just some of it. There is still plenty for us." Tawnypaw realized, her mind whirling with understanding. She turned to the Clan she had been raised in. "We have to go back to the old forest."

**_Yay for the return of Tigerstar and Firestar! But, I hated Tigerstar was evil. So now, he is trying to return to niceness, starting with helping his birth Clan. I 3 my Firestar and Tigerstar personalities. And I also decided to make it a bit interesting with the Hollystar and Crowstar thing. I never did decide on a ShadowClan leader, mostly because my friend is borowing my Long Shadows so my reference is previous stories involving the Erin Hunter cats, so I don't know the ShadowClan cats. So I just made Pantherpelt become leader. Any, hope you liked the past two chapters! Please R&R!_**


	9. 8: More then an Apprentice

_**Hm. Cloudtail reminds me of my dog Chip. I just pictured Cloudtail as a spotted border collie. Weird.**_

Mousepaw sat beside Tawnypaw, his pelt brushing comfortingly against her fur. She licked him affectionately between the ears.

ThunderClan had been traveling for two sunrises now. Lilykit, who had contracted whitecough before the battle, wasn't getting better, and the medicine cats were running low on tansy to help her.

"Still no tansy. It is too barren here." Bramblepaw sighed. The apprentice had been working tirelessly searching for even a small stock to help the she-cat, as well as working with her mentor to keep up treatment for the injured cats. Tawnypaw leapt up on a small boulder sticking out from the earth. Since Hollystar left, Mousewhisker had left her with the duty to lead them to the old forest, the only place any cat knew for them to live in.

"There is a forest not too far from her, down this hill. Do you think there might be tansy there?" She asked Bramblepaw. Jayfeather was busy tending to Dewpaw's wounds.

"Probably." She joined Tawnypaw on the boulder. "Should I go down and check it out?"

"No. We will all go." Tawnypaw replied, shaking her head. It was too dangerous for a young apprentice to go on her own. "We are going to sleep in the forest tonight. It is better sheltered, and not so out in the open. If we leave now, it will still be light enough for us to find bedding." She added, louder so everyone could hear. They stood tiredly and followed her down the hill. It wasn't long before they were slipping into the trees. Right away, Bramblepaw shot into some ferns. She returned with some strong-smelling herb, covered with yellow flowers. Jayfeather let out a relieved mew.

"Great! Lets get some to Lilykit. And remember, small doses." He meowed. Bramblepaw nodded and bounded up to the sleepy kit. Tawnypaw glanced around. They had ended up in a small clearing, just large enough for them to all fit.

"It's a bit cramped, but it will have to do." She mewed. The clan got to work, arranging leaves and finding feathers to make dens. Tawnypaw did the same alongside Mousepaw.

"Your doing a great job." He noted. Tawnypaw felt her face get hot.

"I'm just doing what I have to do. I couldn't just let ThunderClan disband because of one little setback. I know we will do fine on our own." She mewed, licking her chest in embarrassment. Mousepaw purred and licked her affectionately. Tawnypaw scented the air, catching the scent of mouse. She shot into the bushes, returning after moments with a plump mouse. "It didn't even budge when it saw me!"

"They must not be used to cats." Mousepaw purred. He shot into the bushes. It took a bit longer, and he appeared farther up the path, but dangling from his jaws was an equally plump rabbit.

"Hopefully others have had as much luck. Lets take this back to the Clan." Tawnypaw led the way back to the clearing. Sure enough, a small freshkill pile had formed, laden with plump prey. It was obvious the forest was full of prey food, and cats were already pulling some off. Honeyfern and Icestorm each had a mouse, which they were sharing with their mates. The elders were eating as well, in a clump of feathers and soft leaves. Tawnypaw set her mouse down and the two apprentices shared Mousepaw's rabbit.

"How are you Lilykit?" Heatherkit asked her sister, who was eating a smaller mouse near the medicine cats.

"A little better." Lilykit replied.

"Shouldn't be long until your whitecough is completely gone. For now, it is best for others to stay away." Jayfeather put emphasis on the last part, directing it towards Heatherkit. Her tail drooped, but she joined her mother sadly. "Can you bring this to Honeyfern?" He added to Bramblepaw, giving her a small bundle of leaves.

"Of course." Bramblepaw mewed, bounding up to the pregnant she-cat. Worriedly, Tawnypaw realized it wouldn't be long at all before Honeyfern had her kits. She could kit any moment now, which would mean they could be staying in the same place for much too long. She cursed the other three Clans under her breath. How could they do this to her Clan?

"Borage?" Honeyfern asked. Bramblepaw nodded and the she-cat ate the herbs without protest, though she winced at the bitter taste.

"Have you ever thought about kits? I've always wondered what she-cats think when they are apprentices." Mousepaw meowed, seemingly becoming embarrassed. To tell the truth, Tawnypaw hadn't thought bout it much. In a way, she wanted kits, but in another way, she wanted something more then spending her time in the nursery, watching little fur balls having fun.

"I'm not really sure if I want kits or not. I guess it would be nice to have some tiny bundles to look after, but in a way it seems kind of boring, being stuck in camp all day." She replied truthfully. Mousepaw nodded, his embarrassment ebbing away.

"Gingerpaw said she would like to have kits when we were little, and Dewpaw and Bramblepaw were still little. She said she never wanted to be a warrior, though now I think she changed her mind." The ginger apprentice was play fighting across the clearing with Dewpaw.

"Stop that! It is no time to be using up your energy." Briarpelt growled.

"We were just practicing. What if we run into a fox?" Dewpaw pointed out.

"Not now." Briarpelt warned. Reluctantly, the two she-cats padded to the apprentice side of the clearing.

"Are we leaving in the morning?" Dewpaw asked.

"Hopefully." Tawnypaw mewed, with one last glance at Honeyfern. She curled up in her small nest, next to Mousepaw, and drifted into a hard sleep.


	10. 9: The Tribe of Rushing Water

Tawnypaw stared up the rocks, her eyes wide.

"We have to climb that?" Lilykit asked, followed by a small fit of coughing.

"Yep. It is the only way we know of to get to the old forest. The Tribe lives not too far up, so we should make it there before nightfall." Sandstorm rasped. Tawnypaw nodded.

"No time to waste." She began the hard climb up the rocks. The Clan followed behind in small groups, usually of no more then four cats.

"Are we almost to the top?" Mousepaw asked. Tawnypaw shrugged. The sun was lowering now, though Tawnypaw was thankful it was no longer beating on her back. The rocks were cold from the wind, yet the sun was hot. It was a strange mix, and Tawnypaw was glad It was leaving. She took another step forward, but a hiss alerted the whole Clan. Everyone stopped in their tracks.

"Intruders!" A young she-cat called. Her rock-colored fur was covered in dry mud, making her blend in with the rocks. More cats appeared around her, all covered in mud. One stood out most. He leaped down, his gray fur rippling with muscles and his eyes kind and distressed.

"Have you brought all of ThunderClan?" He asked Jayfeather. The blind tom nodded.

"We have been chased away from the lake. All three Clans turned on us, fighting us together and forcing us to retreat." He explained sadly. The tom's eyes widened while Graystripe came forward and nuzzled him affectionately.

"Would the Tribe mind if we stayed a night, Stormfur?" Lionblaze asked, pushing to the front of the group. Stormfur turned to his patrol. The she-cat was still sitting with fluffed fur, but the others looked more sympathetic then surprised.

"It won't hurt to ask Stoneteller. Who is your new leader?" He meowed, looking around. A small flicker of grief filled his eyes as he realized Firestar wasn't there. It had been a long time since ThunderClan cas had seen the Tribe.

"We don't have one." Mousewhisker spat.

"What do you mean?" Stormfur asked. Both Lionblaze and Jayfeather ad fluffed up their fur, glaring at Mousewhisker.

"Our sister became leader after Firestar, by StarClan's orders. She…abandoned us after the battle. She wanted to disband ThunderClan and thought StarClan had abandoned us." Lionblaze mewed regretfully. Stormfur licked the ginger tom's head gently.

"Then your deputy hasn't had the chance to get his nine lives." Stormfur guessed. Lionblaze nodded.

"I'm not going to be leader!" Mousewhisker hissed suddenly. "I'll just bring the Clan to ruin." He growled, shaking his head.

"No, you won't." Honeyfern hissed. Mousewhisker shook his head.

"Unless StarClan sends us some sign I'm to be leader, I'm not going to be leader. StarClan can find someone else." Mousewhisker refused to meet the eyes of his Clanmates. Stormfur looked uneasy after the tom's outburst.

"Let's go to the cave and ask Stoneteller if you can stay the night." He mewed awkwardly. Lionblaze nodded and took the lead, Tawnypaw and Mousepaw right behind him.

"Who are these visitors Stormfur?" A brown and white tom asked. He was fairly young, and Lionblaze seemed surprised.

"Stoneteller, this is ThunderClan. They have been chased from their home and are returning to the one they left seasons ago. They wish to spend just a night here, sheltered from the snow and cold wind. Do we have room for them?" Stormfur asked. Stoneteller looked thoughtful.

"I have heard many stories of ThunderClan, though mostly how they trained our cats to fight when the group of rogues stole our territory." His eyes looked thoughtful again. "I have made up my mind. One night only. Make sure they get fed." With that he disappeared into the cave behind him. Stormfur looked relieved.

"That wasn't the same Stoneteller as last time we came." Lionblaze pointed out. Stormfur nodded.

"He was that Stoneteller's to-be, which meant he was to become Healer next. He took on the name of Stoneteller after our old healer died." Stormfur explained. Lionblaze nodded with understanding. "Let's get you some nests." He added. "Brook, can you show the apprentices the to-bes' den?" He called. A moment later, a pretty she-cat appeared from one of the dens, closely followed by a bouncing kit.

"Of course." She purred, giving Stormfur an affectionate lick on the cheek. "If you are an apprentice, follow me." She added.

"What is an apprentice?" The kit asked.

"A to-be in the Clans." Brook explained. The kit seemed satisfied and bounced ahead to tackle a tom, probably her brother. "That is my daughter, River that runs Through Forest, and her brother Thunder that Startles Hawk. River and Thunder for short." She mewed to the apprentices. Tawnypaw tilted her head at the strange names, but said nothing so as not to offend the Tribe cats. Brook led them to a cave, where the sound of meowing and rustling moss was clearly heard. Brook poked her head in, returning moment s later followed by a large she-cat. Her eyes widened when she saw the Clan cats. "This is Robin that lands on Boulder. She is our oldest to-be." Brook flicked her tail and left them with the she-cat.

"Welcome. I'll introduce you to some of the other to-bes." She slipped inside the cave. Tawnypaw shrugged and followed her in. As soon as she entered, Tawnypaw found the cause of the rustling. Two toms were wrestling in the corner, a mouse sitting nearby. "Fire! Fall! We have visitors!" She hissed, pulling them apart.

"Sorry Robin." The gray tom mewed. He glanced sideways expectantly, but the ginger tom said nothing, just glared around Robin to look at the Clan apprentices.

"They look strange." He spat. Tawnypaw felt her fur rising.

"We probably look strange to them." Robin growled, batting him on the head with a sheathed paw. _You have that right._ Tawnypaw thought.

"So we are sleeping with you tonight? Gave me a real scare on the mountain." Tawnypaw recognized the gray she-cat that had told Stormfur's patrol they were there. She slipped into a nest, looking exhausted. "I caught two hawks! The first one was all by myself. Everyone was so surprised. The second one I had help with." She added.

"The first one was small though." A tom teased. He came in as well, and Tawnypaw recognized him from Stormfur's patrol as well.

"It wasn't that small." She mewed, shooting him an angry face. He purred In amusement and made himself at home in another nest.

"This is Cliff that shelters Mouse and Finch that Sounds Alarm. Cliff and Finch. The annoying ginger furball is Fire that burns down Forest and the other joker is Fall of Broken Rock. Fire and Fall. That she-cat in the corner is Wing of Hunting Owl, or Wing." Robin introduced them to each cat. "You can have any of these nests." She added, settling into one herself. Fall moved away from Fire and laid down near Wing, who looked up as he arrived.

"Wing is Fall's sister. Cliff and I are brother and sister as well, but Robin and Fire are both one-kit litters." Finch explained.

"I'm Tawnypaw, and this is my sister Skypaw. The ginger she-cat is Gingerpaw, while the only tom is Mousepaw. The other white she-cat is Dewpaw. I guess you could say Gingerpaw and Mousepaw are brother and sister." Tawnypaw mewed, flicking her tail to each cat. Finch looked over the two cats.

"They look nothing alike!" She mewed.

"We aren't really brother and sister. It just seems like it. When I was a newborn, my father found Mousepaw abandoned at the border. He didn't smell of Clan, so my father took him in. Being raised together, it sure feels like we are brother and sister." Gingerpaw explained. Finch nodded in understanding and curled up in a nest. Tawnypaw curled dup next to Mousepaw and Skypaw, while Gingerpaw and Dewpaw curled up together nearby. Tawnypaw soon fell into a comfortable sleep.


	11. 10: Memories

"Look!" Tawnypaw breathed. She was standing on one of the last mountain rocks, overlooking a large valley. To the far side, a twolegplace stretched endlessly. Next to it was a forest full of trees. Closest to them, a huge black river cut through it, but Tawnypaw guessed it wasn't a river. On the far side, a real river cut through the trees and into the distance. Hilly moorland spread on the other side of the forest. A building sat on one side of the moor, and below them was a patch of rocky ground.

Sandstorm was the first to join her on the rock. Her tail twitched happily as she recognized the area.

"This is it. This is the old forest." Joy filled Tawnypaw. They had made it! It was till here! Cloudtail bounded up the rock to join them. His eyes widened in joy and he let out a loud purr.

"It has been so long since any of us walked this forest." He meowed. Sandstorm nodded. She turned to Tawnypaw.

"You see where the Thunderpath is? From there to the river was once ThunderClan territory." Sandstorm explained. Tawnypaw looked at it in awe. She had done it. She had found ThunderClan a new home.

"I don't think we need it all." She pointed out. "If our territory is too big, it would take us days just to patrol the borders." She added. Sandstorm nodded.

"Of course. I say we take the forest part, past the river." Cloudtail mewed. "That way we still have all the old ThunderClan territory, but more to support us. I can tell from here there is less of the forest left then before. Those mouse brained twolegs expanded the Thunderpath all the way up to Fourtrees." He meowed.

"That sounds good. Do you think we can make it there by nightfall?" Tawnypaw meowed, glancing at the sky. The sun was at its highest point, though a few storm clouds shadowed the land.

"No, but we can make it to Ravenpaw's barn." Graystripe had joined the front group. Tawnypaw nodded.

"That should be fine, and then tomorrow we can get to the territory." She mewed, leading the way down the few remaining bounds to the base of the mountain. It was still fairly rocky, though the stones were accompanied by patches of grass. The land sloped a bit a one point as if around a huge rock.

"She that hole in the ground?" Sandstorm asked, flicking her tail toward what at first looked like a huge, flat black stone, but as she looked closer, she realized it was indeed a hole.

"Yeah." she replied.

"That is right above what is called the Moonstone. It is the forest's version of the Moonpool." She explained. Tawnypaw gazed down the hole. Just visible was a large, blue stone glinting in the sunlight.

"How do you get inn there?" Tawnypaw was intrigued by the strange stone.

"Mothermouth. It is a cave beneath that hill there." Sandstorm had climbed the small rise and was sitting with her tail dangling over. Tawnypaw peered down. Sure enough, a dark cave was hidden on the other side. However, for some reason it made Tawnypaw uneasy. She slipped down to peer inside.

"Go away!" Sandstorm even jumped at the hiss, and Tawnypaw was pinned down by an old tom. She struggled to get free from the tom's battering paws, but she felt the weight get off her. More of the Clan had gathered at the edge, trying to figure out what was going on. Sandstorm and Graystripe had the tom pinned down. He was struggling.

"Ravenpaw! Stop it. It's ThunderClan." Graystripe meowed, licking his head. The black and white tom immediately stopped struggling, and the elders let him up.

"Y-you came back." He stammered, backing up slightly. He glanced at Tawnypaw, who was licking dust from her fur. "Sorry about that. Thought you were an intruder." He added. " What are you doing here?"

"ShadowClan, RiverClan and WindClan chased us out." Tawnypaw mewed, slightly bitter at his hostile attack. Mousepaw and a few others had joined them at Mothermouth.

"Really? Why would they do that?" Ravenpaw asked.

"Who knows." Tawnypaw spat. Ravenpaw's eyes widened as the rest of the Clan came off the top of the cave.

"Hardly any of the old ThunderClan is left." He sighed dreamily. His eyes became wild as he searched for one cat in particular. "Is Firestar…" He broke off, bowing his head. Sandstorm licked him gently on the head. _Ravenpaw and Firestar must have been good friends. _Tawnypaw thought sympathetically. She hadn't known the tom in reality, but she had met him before in her dreams. She could see the starry warrior now, his pelt brushing the older cats as he walked the path of his Clanmates. "Who is leader now?" Ravenpaw asked. Jayfeather snorted from where he was checking Lilykit, who had finally completely recovered from her cough, though she had gotten a thorn in her pad on the mountain and had gotten it infected.

"Nobody." Jayfeather growled. Bramblepaw was watching him with pained eyes. Tawnypaw knew she hated when her mentor acted this way.

"Nobody? How is that possible?" Ravenpaw asked. Squirrelflight shifted her paws.

"Our leader abandoned us." Mousewhisker spat. Many eyes were glaring at him. His outburst on the mountain hadn't cleared from their minds.

"You aren't much better." Berrynose growled pointedly. Mousewhisker's fur fluffed in anger, but he didn't argue. Ravenpaw tilted his head in confusion.

"Mousewhisker is deputy, but he refuses to become leader." Sandstorm explained. Ravenpaw nodded in understanding.

"Who was leader before?" He asked.

"Hollystar, Leafpool's daughter." Jayfeather mewed, snorting again. He had come to stand beside Squirrelflight, who had an infected wound from the battle with the Clans because it had broken open while traveling.

"Leafpool? The medicine cat? Isn't that against the warrior code?" Ravenpaw asked. Tawnypaw was surprised to hear a loner talking about the warrior code.

"Yes. It was fairly recently that she told everyone the kits were hers." Squirrelflight mewed, shifting her paws. "I took care of them when they were kits." She added at his confused face.

"Them?" Ravenpaw asked. Tawnypaw could tell his mind ws whirling.

"She had three kits." Lionblaze mewed. Ravenpaw smiled at him.

"You are obviously one of them. You look a lot like your grandfather." He purred. Lionblaze bowed his head proudly.

"Hollystar was my sister. That grumpy medicine cat is my brother Jayfeather." He meowed, flicking his tail toward the blind tom, who glared at him with a hiss.

"Strange attitude for a medicine cat." Ravenpaw joked. This caused another hiss from Jayfeather.

"Come rest. I can finish the rounds." Bramblepaw mewed. She seemed concerned. Eery cat was tired, but Jayfeather had been keeping himself busy with injured cats. He was beginning to look exhausted. He reluctantly agreed to let her take over.

"You want some shade?" Cloudtail asked. Jayfeather hissed and batted a paw at him.

"I'm not old like you, and I can find my own way to some shade." He hissed, pushing the angry tom away. He stalked up to Mothermouth and sat in the entrance. Ravenpaw looked amused but confused at the same time.

"Jayfeather is blind." Lionblaze commented, glancing from the black and white tom to his brother.

"Oh. Well, the sun is going down. You should spend the night at my barn." Ravenpaw meowed, standing up with a yawn.

"We were hoping we could." Sandstorm purred. Ravenpaw led the way across the Thunderpath and to the building Tawnypaw had spotted while surveying the forest.

"Make yourselves at home. The hay is pretty comfortable." He meowed.


	12. 11: Tawnypaw's Dream 2

_**Have you noticed I don't like writing/reading journeys? They are superly boring. So, I don't write them. If you haven't realized I only put important parts in said journeys. Such as finding the forest with tansy for Lilykit, making it to the mountain and the tribe, and finding the old forest again. Seriously, who wants to read about the scenery around the traveling cats as they walk? It would get a bit old, like it did in the new Prophecy.(Hated that series because of all the traveling. I mostly skipped the prophecy cat's povs and skipped to Leafpaw's.) It was better in PoT, but anyway, back to the story.**_

_**Oh, and why won't anyone review? If you think I should stop writing it, I probably won't listen to you, but I will improve if I need to! I thought that surely my random Cloudtail reminds me of my dog comment would get something. It was a random thought I decided to voice to you all.**_

_Tawnypaw padded alongside the twoleg dwellings, her paws skimming hard packed dirt. _

"_Why do you always come here?" Tawnypaw recognized Firestar's voice before he appeared in the bushes._

"_You think I would know that better then you?" She pointed out with a roll of her eyes. Firestar purred in amusement. _

"_Firestar? Tawnypaw?" The dappled she-cat was surprised to hear the tabby tom's voice. She hadn't expected him to join them here._

"_Tigerstar?" Tawnypaw asked. The tom slid from the bushes._

"_Good job leading the Clan here." Firestar mewed as Tigerstar stood beside him._

"_Is that all you brought me here for?" Tawnypaw asked. She had the feeling the answer would be no. Tigerstar seemed to sense her thoughts._

"_StarClan has a new warrior." He mewed. Tawnypaw grew uneasy. Was she dead? "It isn't you." He added. Tawnypaw relaxed a bit, but her curiosity still remained. A warm, familiar scent wreathed around her._

"_H-Hollystar?" She stammered. The black she-cat appeared behind the toms, coming from the shadows._

"_Yes. It is me." He black fur was dappled with starlight, her face holding scars from the battle. "ThunderClan is officially without a leader. After you left, I returned to try and reclaim our territory, or at least some of it, on my own. Pantherstar ripped my last three lives from me then and there." She looked away. "I'm sorry for abandoning you, and ThunderClan." She added._

"_Why did you come to tell me and not Mousewhisker or Jayfeather?" Tawnypaw asked._

"_I thought about it, but I knew you would accept my apology easier then your Clanmates. You are a strong cat, and I wait the arrival of your warrior name. You have long deserved it, but I have made the mistake of holding it off, and now it is up to Mousewhisker. I do ask you to bring a message to Mousewhisker. I'll tell Jayfeather as well, if he will listen, but Mousewhisker refused to meet with me, closing his mind to StarClan. He is not to be ThunderClan's new leader, as he thought. There is another that must become leader. Until she is ready, he will be temporary leader, though he will still receive his leader name. He is not to appoint a deputy, and will only be given three lives. It is rare for StarClan to choose a leader before the cat is eligible, but without this cat, ThunderClan will die." She mewed importantly._

"_How long until the new leader is ready?" Tawnypaw breathed._

"_Not much longer, but too long for ThunderClan to be without a leader. If Mousewhisker des before she is ready, Jayfeather or Bramblepaw will take over as temporary leader, like Stoneteller of the Tribe. Hard times are coming for ThunderClan. You must be ready, Tawnypaw." _

With that, all three cats disappeared, and Tawnypaw found herself blinking awake in Ravenpaw's barn, curled up next to Mousepaw. He twitched as she stood up. the sun was already beginning to light up the barn. Mousewhisker was awakening, as was Jayfeather and Bramblepaw. Ravenpaw, Sandstorm, Graystripe and Cloudtail were already awake, sharing tongues in the morning light peering into the barn. Jayfeather joined Mousewhisker, mewing urgently to him. Tawnypaw carefully made her way over, slowly coming into earshot.

"…And Hollystar said you need to make Skypaw, Tawnypaw, Gingerpaw and Mousepaw warriors." He finished as Tawnypaw approached. Mousewhisker looked uneasy, but he nodded.

"Their ceremony is long overdue." He sighed. "But it can wait until we settle into the new camp. Normally, warrior ceremonies happen later in the day so the cat can have his vigil. Lilykit and Heatherkit are long overdue as well." He meowed half to himself. Excitement pulsed through Tawnypaw's body. She was finally going to be a warrior!


	13. 12: Home

_**Hurray for last couple chapters! I think one or two more and then an epilogue. Yeah, that's about right. Keep watching for the sequel Striving for Peace Book 2: Loosing Faith.**_

Tawnypaw dashed the last few steps of the moorland. The forest was looming up ahead and she was anxious to get beneath the trees again. The whole Clan seemed to calm down as they entered, especially the elders, who looked as if they felt at home for the first times in moons.

"Sandstorm, do you remember where the old camp was?" Mousewhisker called. All the elders shook their heads.

"It has been to long and my memory is going anyway." She pointed out. Even Squirrelflight was clueless.

"Let's keep going forward. If we can find the twolegplace, I can find the camp. I've just never been there from this angle before." Tawnypaw mewed. She had ended up telling the Clan about her recent dreams of Firestar and him leading her from twolegplace to the camp. She didn't add the part about Tigerstar, knowing what the Clan would think. They had never trusted him, though she had personally learned he had taken a new lead, and was accepted back into StarClan after he helped Tawnypaw lead ThunderClan here as well as fight off the other Clans. She had become good friends with the dead tabby tom during her travels, and enjoyed feeling his pelt brushing hers.

"Can I say hello to someone first?" Cloudtail asked, already on his way down the row of twoleg dwellings.

"We have to go to a dwelling with a red barrier anyway." Tawnypaw mewed, following him. He led the way to the red-barrier dwelling, but stopped a few taillengths before it.

"Princess?" He called. Fur rose at his calling to the kittypet, but Sandstorm soothed them gently.

"Princess is his mother, and Firestar's sister. It is only right she knows Firestar is dead." The ginger she-cat mewed gently, padding up to the white warrior. A moment later, a pretty, though elderly, light brown she-cat appeared on the wall, joined by a plucky tabby. She let out an excited mew and leapt down the barrier, landing beside Cloudtail and licking him furiously.

"You have returned Cloudtail! I thought you never would!" She purred between licks. Sandstorm was purring in amusement, but stopped as she looked around. "Is all of ThunderClan here?" She asked in surprise. Cloudtail nodded.

"We had to leave our new home, so we returned here. It is great to see you again, Princess." Cloudtail returned his mother's licks. "And you too Cody." He added to the tabby. She joined them, landing near Tawnypaw.

"Where is Leafpaw?" She asked, looking around.

"And Firestar." Princess added. The Clan became silent, sharing glances of grief between them. The two kittypets' eyes clouded as if they already understood. Princess bowed her head. "We will miss them greatly." She meowed. Sandstorm licked her gently atop the head, as if trying to comfort her mate's sister. Once again, Tawnypaw noticed the ginger tom wreathing around his loved ones. This time, however, he was joined by three cats. One was a black she-cat, watching from a distance. The second was Tigerstar, and the third was the light brown pelt of Leafpool, wrapping herself around Cody. Squirrelflight had joined the tabby and was explaining her sister's death. Tawnypaw joined them carefully.

"She was such a good friend." Cody recollected.

"She will always be with you." Tawnypaw mewed, feeling the pelt of the dead medicine cat brushing between her and Cody. "In StarClan." She added, signaling upward with her tail. Cody nodded with pain in her eyes.

"I do not know a lot of these cats. I remember Birchkit over there, Sandstorm, Dustpelt, you, Whitepaw, Cloudtail, Ferncloud, and I'm surprised to see Graystripe too. But otherwise I know nobody." She admitted. Squirrelflight purred and licked her cheek.

"I will introduce you to everybody. Princess seems to be getting an introduction already." Squirrelflight mewed. She cupped a paw over Tawnypaw's ear playfully. "This is Tawnypaw. She is Blossomheart's apprentice. Blossomheart is the pale brown she-cat by the black striped gray tom and the darker she-cat. Those are her brother and sister, Bumbletail and Briarpelt. They are Graystripe's kits." Squirrelflight and Cody grew out of earshot as Squirrelflight led her to meet the Clan. Tawnypaw directed her attention into the forest as she was joined by her sister.

"It still smells a tiny bit like ThunderClan, don't you think? Though it is very faint." She purred, her mouth open to taste the air.

"I guess." Tawnypaw mewed distractedly. She could just hear Mousewhisker making an announcement from where the rest of the Clan were. Tawnypaw turned her head to watch him.

"We should get moving. Princess, Cody, you may join us if you like." He meowed. "Lead the way Tawnypaw." He added as they padded closer to the sisters. Tawnypaw nodded and slipped into the undergrowth. It seemed as if StarClan were guiding her paws through the trees. Occasionally, she fell into a small paw print, though it was cat, and seemingly ancient. Tawnypaw could tell they were left over from when the Clans roamed the forest before. Soon, the path grew familiar, and she recognized the ravine Firestar had led her onto during the first dream. She couldn't help but bound ahead. She paused at the entrance to the camp, joined soon by the elders. Squirrelflight gazed at the entrance as if the whole of StarClan were before her.

"It is exactly how we left it." She breathed. Cloudtail and Ferncloud mewed their agreements.

"We should still move carefully. We don't know what might be living there now." Dustpelt pointed out. Tawnypaw nodded and slowly edged her way into the camp. It was untouched, with no scent of any animal. The soft dust in the clearing was covered with paw prints, as if made by fleeing cats.

"So many memories." Sandstorm sighed. The whole Clan had entered the clearing now.

"Do you want to send out a hunting patrol Mousewhisker?" Icestorm asked.

"Yes, but I want them back before the sun goes down. You can lead the patrol, Briarpelt. Poppyfrost, take a patrol to create borders so other cats know this is our territory now. Let's make one boundary at the Thunderpath, another along the dirt path we crossed to get into the forest, one by twolegplace and another beyond the river. If you see a Greenleaf twolegplace, make the border so it doesn't cross into it." Mousewhisker ordered. "Actually, Birchfall, why don't you take a patrol to the other side of the river? And you can take the dirt path border too. That way, it is easier to make it back before sundown." He meowed.

"Dewpaw, Rosethorn, let's head out." Briarpelt called, already near the entrance. The small white apprentice bounded after her, followed by the dark cream she-cat.

"I'll take Gingerpaw, Firefang and Whitewing." Poppyfrost meowed.

"Not Gingerpaw, actually. I want her, Mousepaw, Skypaw and Tawnypaw to rest for now. They have a vigil to sit tonight." Mousewhisker purred. All four cats perked up. Excitement flew through Tawnypaw's body.

"We are becoming warriors?" She asked.

"At Sundown." Mousewhisker announced. All four let out mews of excitement.

"Alright. Then it'll be just us this time. See you later Gingerpaw." Gingerpaw looked a bit sad not to be going, but Tawnypaw knew the excitement of her warrior name dismissed the sad feelings quickly.

"Lionblaze and Foxcatcher, you up for a patrol?" Firefang meowed. They nodded and the last patrol set off.

"Let all cats old enough to hunt for themselves gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Mousewhisker called. Most of the Clan had already arrived, except for the few who had paused to eat the freshkill brought back by the patrols. All three patrols had returned successfully, each cat having caught at lest one piece of freshkill for the Clan. Now, the Clan was receiving four new warriors, as well as two new apprentices. Lilykit and Heatherkit were finally becoming apprentices. Jayfeather and Bramblepaw were nowhere in sight, but neither was Honeyfern. Berrynose had disappeared into the nursery. The whole Clan knew Honeyfern had kitted, giving birth to three healthy kits.

"Congratulations." Blossomheart mewed as her apprentice passed.

"I ask upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these kits. They wish to become warriors, but must first become apprentices. Lilykit, from this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Lilypaw. Birchfall, you are ready for an apprentice. You will mentor Lilypaw." Birchfall touched Lilypaw's nose and led her to the edge of the gathered cats. "Heatherkit, from this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Heatherpaw. Bumbletail, you are ready for an apprentice. You will mentor Heatherpaw." Mousewhisker waited until Bumbletail came forward and touched Heatherpaw's nose before continuing. "I ask upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn. Tawnypaw, Skypaw, Gingerpaw and Mousepaw, do you agree to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do." The four cats chorused.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names. Gingerpaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Gingerpool. StarClan honors your pride and your courage. Mousepaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Mouseclaw. StarClan honors your bravery and your agility. Skypaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Skysong. StarClan honors your patience and your courage. Tawnypaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Tawnydapple. StarClan honors your faith and your spirit, and we welcome you all as full warriors of ThunderClan." Mousewhisker rested his head on the shoulder of each new warrior, and they licked it in return. Proudly, Tawnydapple walked side by side with her friends to the center of the camp, sitting down for their vigil.


	14. 13: Not Alone

"I'm going to get some freshkill and then take a long nap." Gingerpool mewed with a yawn. Mouseclaw agreed. "You coming too?" Gingerpool asked Tawnydapple. They had just been released from their vigil, and Skysong was already at the freshkill pile, grabbing a vole and gulping it down quickly. Tawnydapple felt as if her eyes never wanted to close.

"I'm going to head over to the nursery to see the new kits." Tawnydapple replied, already dashing off. Berrynose was coming out of the nursery, pride in every pawstep.

"You here to see the kits?" He asked. Tawnydapple nodded, and he moved out of the way to let her through. The nursery already smelled of milk, and the mewls of tiny kits almost drowned out Honeyfern's purring.

"Good morning Tawnydapple." She greeted. Tawnydapple sat down. Her three kits kneaded her belly for milk.

"They are adorable. What are their names?" She purred.

"The light brown tabby tom is Marshkit, the cream and brown she-cat is Mallowkit, and the cream she-cat is Morningkit." Honeyfern replied proudly. Tawnydapple purred and licked her and each kit gently.

"I'll see you later." She meowed, flicking her tail as she left.

"Aren't they just the best?" Berrynose was reentering the den with two mice in his mouth. Tawnydapple rolled her eyes playfully but joined her friends by the warriors' den.

"What are their names?" Gingerpool asked as she arrived. Mouseclaw offered the rest of his mouse to her, rolling onto his back.

"Marshkit, Mallowkit and Morningkit. They are adorable!" Tawnydapple meowed.

"I hope I get one of them as an apprentice." Mouseclaw mewed. Tawnydapple.

"Mallowkit seems like she would make a good apprentice. Maybe one of us will get her." Tawnydapple meowed.

"Just remember they were just born yesterday. It will still be a while yet before they are apprentices." Foxcatcher purred as he slipped out of the warriors' den.

"Where are we going first?" Lilypaw was bouncing around Birchfall, who looked as if he could fall back asleep any moment.

"Uh, let's head to the, uh, river." He decided finally. He looked extremely drowsy, as if not feeling well. Tawnydapple tilted her head in curiosity. It wasn't normal for Birchfall to be so indecisive. Normally, he would act and think later.

"I'm going to see if I can go with Birchfall." She mewed, standing up.

"Why? Aren't you even a bit tired?" Skysong asked.

"Of course I am, but look at him. I think something is wrong, and if something were to happen, I don't know if Lilypaw would know what to do." Tawnydapple mewed worriedly. As the other three noticed Birchfall's state, they began to look worried as well.

"Alright." Gingerpool mewed as Tawnydapple bounded over to meet the two cats.

"Mind if I go with you? I have enough energy to make the journey again." She meowed. Birchfall nodded. Up close, Tawnydapple noticed his fur was dull and matted, as if he hadn't washed since they arrived at the new camp, and his eyes were clouded as if deep in thought. They focused on nothing, occasionally flitting toward a cat talking to him. He even seemed to sway on his feet a bit.

"Let's go!" Lilypaw whined, butting her mentor to make him move. He did, but his pawsteps were uncertain. Lilypaw growled and bounded ahead as they reached the forest.

"Are you alright?" Tawnydapple asked as Lilypaw went out of earshot. Birchfall began to nod, but then shook his head.

"I feel…dizzy. I've never felt this sick before." He meowed, his head held low.

"Maybe we should get you to Jayfeather and Bramblepaw. Lilypaw can wait. Your health is more important." Tawnydapple meowed gently. Birchfall shook his head.

"No. I promised Lilypaw last night that we would go out to the forest today. I won't lie to her." He mewed. Tawnydapple sighed but nodded, and said nothing more of it, though she continued to stay close at his side so he didn't fall. He blinked gratefully at her.

"Birchfall! There is a weird scent here!" Lilypaw called from the river. The two warriors sped up a bit to meet her. Tawnydapple didn't recognize the scent.

"Good morning. Are we trespassing?" Tawnydapple started at the voice in the undergrowth, while Lilypaw leaped back a few foxlengths.

"Uh…yeah." Tawnydapple replied. A tortoiseshell she-cat slipped from the undergrowth, followed by a group of more cats. They held the same scent the patrol had scented moments ago.

"I'm so sorry. We didn't mean to. I am Cherrystar, leader of SkyClan. Are you ThunderClan cats?" She mewed. It was the same voice that had startled Tawnydapple and Lilypaw.

"Are you alright?" A small gray tom had noticed Birchfall and was looking over him worriedly. Birchfall straightened up.

"I'm fine." He meowed.

"We are ThunderClan, yes." Tawnydapple interrupted. Cherrystar perked up.

"Then you know Firestar?" She meowed. Tawnydapple knew Firestar was leader before Hollystar, and Hollystar's grandfather, but she had never known him. He died before she was born.

"These two don't, but I did. Firestar is in StarClan now." Birchfall replied. Cherrystar looked at her paws, shifting them uncomfortably. She wasn't the youngest cat Tawnydapple had met, though she was younger then Sandstorm.

"I'm sorry to hear that. May I speak with your new leader?" She meowed after a large intake of breath. Birchfall and Tawnydapple exchanged an uneasy glance. Mousewhisker would soon be on his way to the moonstone to get his leader name, though Tawnydapple knew that he would not receive all nine lives of a normal leader. He was only there to take the spot until the rightful leader of ThunderClan was ready. He was not allowed to take a deputy.

"Are you all coming?" Lilypaw asked with wide eyes.

"If you will allow us." Cherrystar bowed her head respectfully.

"We would rather not all of you." Birchfall pointed out. Cherrystar flicked her tail.

"My deputy, Morningstorm, can watch the Clan until I return. May my medicine cat come with me?" She agreed. Tawnydapple nodded. The small gray tom came forward to stand beside his leader. Tawnydapple realized why he had been so curious about Birchfall. Was it worse then she thought?

Birchfall allowed Tawnydapple to support him as they returned to camp. Lilypaw bounced alongside Cherrystar excitedly, her tail twitching as she continually asked questions. Surprisingly, Cherrystar answered them calmly, as if she didn't care for the inquisitive apprentice. Lilypaw began to tell why she had just become an apprentice, and about the journey to the forest. Cherrystar listened with curiosity. It didn't seem long before they had made it back to camp. Heads turned as the Clan noticed the SkyClan cats. Everyone seemed well rested after the long journey. Sandstorm paused from her cleaning, stretching and bounding up to the group.

"Cherrytail?" She mewed in disbelief. Cherrystar let out a mew of excitement as she recognized the she-cat, and gave her a few licks.

"It's Cherrystar now." She meowed proudly.

"It has been so long." Sandstorm purred, shaking her head thoughtfully. "How is Sparrowtail?" She added.

"He is doing well, like the rest of SkyClan. We can not thank you and Firestar enough for what you have done for us." Cherrystar meowed.

"Who is this?" Mousewhisker asked. Tawnydapple hadn't noticed him perched on the Highrock.

"This is Cherrystar, leader of SkyClan." Tawnydapple meowed. Jayfeather had appeared and disappeared into his den again with Birchfall by his side. Jayfeather had always had a way of scenting disease in his Clanmates.

"And his is my medicine cat, Smallberry. The rest of our Clan is by the river." Cherrystar noted. Smallberry bowed his head in greeting. "We have something to ask of you. I am guessing you are the leader?" She added.

"Yes, I am. Do you want to speak privately? We can talk in my den, and with my own medicine cat, Jayfeather, if you would like as well." Mousewhisker pointed out, preparing to fetch Jayfeather.

"if that blue eyed tom was your medicine cat, he is busy. The brown tabby looked a bit sick." Smallberry pointed out.

"Birchfall wasn't feeling well, but he didn't want to break his promise to Lilypaw to take her into the forest." Tawnydapple explained.

"You need to get some rest. I know you haven't slept well the last couple nights, and holding your warrior vigil last night was likely exhausting." Mousewhisker ordered. Tawnydapple looked away with a light smile. "I'm glad you went out with Birchfall to keep them safe though." He added. Tawnydapple nodded and padded to the warriors den.

"I see no need to speak privately. I just wanted to ask if there was any open territory around here that SkyClan could move into. We have been chased from our home, and were looking for a new one." Cherrystar meowed. Tawnydapple paused to listen to the rest of the conversation.

"There is some open moor and marshland. If you want, you can take as much of each. We are alone here currently, and we do not need all the territory around here." Mousewhisker suggested.

"That sounds wonderful. Where can we find it?" Cherrystar mewed happily.

"Briarpelt, Firefang and Foxcatcher, can you show SkyClan to the moor? And show them where the marsh is too." Mousewhisker ordered. The three cats nodded.

"Can I go too?" Skysong asked. Bumbletail shook his head.

"You are going hunting with me and Heatherpaw, remember?" He pointed out. Skysong jolted a bit as she remembered, and nodded.

"Almost forgot." She purred. She flicked her sister's ear before the two groups padded out. Tawnydapple sighed with indecision. She wanted to check on Birchfall, but disobeying Mousewhisker's orders could be bad.

"You alright? Your just standing there." The familiar voice of Mouseclaw jolted her from her thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just wondering if I should go to sleep or check on Birchfall. He wasn't looking good on the patrol today, and when we got back Jayfeather took him into his den." She explained with an affectionate lick to his ear.

"I can check on Birchfall if you like. I can give you news when you wake up." He suggested. Tawnydapple nodded gratefully and slipped into the den.


	15. Epilogue

_**Epilogue time! Remember, keep watch for the (with a new name change) Book 2: Fading Embers. Shouldn't be long for it. Already almost done with chapter 4 for it.**_

Mouseclaw paced outside of the nursery, his tail flicking with worry and anticipation. He ha been doing this since the sun first went down.

"Are you ever going to sleep?" Bramblepaw asked as she left the nursery. She was closely followed by her mentor. Mouseclaw finally stopped his pacing.

"How are they?" He asked, ignoring Bramblepaw's question.

"All healthy. Three she-kits." Jayfeather announced. Without waiting for any other news, Mouseclaw slipped inside the nursery. Tiny mewls were coming from one side, where a dark shape sat curled around the tiny kits.

"Aren't they adorable?" Tawnydapple asked, licking each kit.

"Of course they are." Mouseclaw teased, licking her affectionately. "Have you decided on names?" He added.

"Just two. The one that looks like you will be Ashkit, and the white with dappled patches will be Cloudkit, but I wanted to let you name the calico." She purred.

"How about Lightkit? She seems to fit the name." he suggested. Tawnydapple nodded.

"Lightkit, Ashkit and Cloudkit it is." She agreed.

_**Yes, it is short. I know, but shut up.**_


End file.
